Burlesque
by happyeverafter72
Summary: <html><head></head>When the CID team are called to investigate the disappearances of 2 girls from the Burlesque Lounge, nobody knows why Alex is so keen. Will she reveal her secret? Galex implied  a bit</html>


**Hello, Lovelies! Just a little muse I wanted to follow. Hope you like. As ever, any feedback would be splendorous.  
>Btw, just in case you don't know, the song used is 'If I Could Turn Back Time' by Cher<strong>

As the male members of CID drooled into their drinks, Alex Drake's eyes darted around the burlesque club. She was looking for anything that might differentiate their suspect from the average, lecherous punter. A particular look in the eyes, or an unusual posture maybe. Of course, they had warned the girls and the owner of the club to be on their guard, but they couldn't be too careful.

She glanced at Gene, who was sat next to her. "I wouldn' mind seein' you up there shakin' yer bits 'n' bobs, Bols," he said.

"In your dreams," she scoffed.

"I certainly 'ope so."

She rolled her eyes and looked away. Little did Gene know, but she had once been a burlesque dancer. She had needed some money to fund herself through university and Evan wasn't able to provide enough. So, she had turned to using her body. That was how she had met Pete. He had seen her perform one night and had waited outside the club. She shuddered at the memory, quickly supressing it.

Anyway, she had been lucky. She had made enough money to keep her head above water and been able to walk away after her degree to get a proper job. She knew that the girls here would probably not have the same fate. Who knew, perhaps they enjoyed the work. But right now they were all in danger.

The owner of the club, a woman by the name of Tess, had contacted them a few weeks before. A couple of the girls had disappeared on consecutive nights without telling anyone. Gene had not understood her concern, but she had overpowered him. The bodies of the two girls had been found a week later, in shallow graves in woodland. Each had had a number gauged into the flesh at the base of the neck after death. They were labelled 5 and 6.

After scouring murder reports from the past five years, numbers 1 to 4 were found. They had all been burlesque dancer, from various areas of London. And so, here they were now, waiting for something to happen. They were hoping that the killer would choose another girl from this club, that he hadn't already moved on.

The hours dragged on and the club closed without incident. The CID team exited through the front and went around to the back. There, they concealed themselves in an alcove and waited.

"D'you really think this'll work, Ma'am?" Chris asked. "What if he's moved on?"

"I don't know, Chris," Alex sighed. "Just be quiet."

They didn't have long to wait. After about 10 minutes, a girl came out of the backdoor of the club. Alex recognised her as Ali, the youngest of the girls.

As Ali walked away from the building, a shout was heard. "Hey, little girl, you wanna come with me?"

A man emerged from the shadows and advanced on Ali. She started to run, but the man grabbed hold of her. She screamed and lashed out as he tried to drag her away.

"Now!" ordered Gene. "Go!"

They rushed out of the alcove and made for the struggling pair. Ray grabbed the man, tore him away and slammed him violently against a wall. Alex held the now sobbing Ali in her arms, gently rubbing her back.

Gene strode over to the man, punched him hard in the guts and hissed "You're nicked for murders of 6 girls and the attempted kidnap of Ali Rose. I hope you rot, you scum!"

They hurried Ali back inside and she went straight to Jack. Once she was with him, they went to see Tess.

"You're bloody lucky it wasn't worse," Gene muttered when they had finished recounting what had happened.

"Surely you don't think this is _my_ fault," Tess spluttered. "Those girls are like my family."

"I understand," Alex said soothingly. "What Gene means is that you need to be more careful. Make sure the girls don't leave alone, keep a closer eye on the men, that sort of thing."

"Yes," Tess replied. "Of course. I want my girls safe."

As they descended the stairs, Gene looked at Alex and said "I still don' get why you were so int'rested in this."

"Because, Gene," she responded, "I care about these young women. They're incredibly vulnerable doing this."

* * *

><p>Before she left, Alex couldn't resist getting on the stage. She stood in the middle, closed her eyes and imagined the crowd. All eyes would be on her, every man in the place burning with desire. She started to sing.<p>

_If I could turn back time,  
>If I could find a way,<br>I'd take back the words that've hurt you,  
>And you'd stay.<em>

Her eyes snapped open and she strutted to the front of the stage.

_I don't know why I did the things I did,  
>I don't know why I said the things I said.<br>Words like a knife, they can cut deep inside,  
>Words are like weapons, they wound sometimes.<em>

_I didn't really mean to hurt you,  
>I didn't wanna see you go,<br>I know I made you cry, but baby,_

_If I could turn back time,  
>If I could find a way,<br>I'd take back those words that've hurt you,  
>And you'd stay.<em>

_If I could reach the stars,  
>I'd give them all to you,<br>And you'd love me, love me,  
>Like you used to do.<em>

Little did she know, she had a very appreciative audience. Gene had been watching her from the entranceway, utterly enthralled. Obviously he knew she was sex on legs, but he'd had no idea she could move like that. And that voice! Her singing was deep and soulful and very, very sexy. He was still struck dumb when she sashayed past him on her way out.

"Problem, Gene?" she asked.

"No, no problem," he mumbled. "Let's get goin', Bolly."


End file.
